Much of the focus when raising Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD)
is ensuring that they form a tight bond with sheep. We want the dog to be nurturing
towards the sheep, endlessly patient, gentle, and respectful of their charges.
Most livestock keepers value the tighter bonding type of dogs over the more
patrolling or perimeter type dogs, believing that when the dog is close to the livestock,
it is more effective.

A successful LGD should have a balance
between these two primary behaviours, the dogs need to be trustworthy towards
the livestock and protective against predators.
If the dogs are only nurturing types, then they are likely to be a bit milder
in nature and perhaps a little less effective in protecting the livestock should
predators come calling. To stand up to large predators, the dog needs to be
bold and brave, and willing to confront a predator if that is required. Many
highly nurturing types will often stand and bark at a distance, but few are willing
to be combative. The ideal LGD will have a balance of this traits, however not
every LGD has that perfect 50-50 mix. Some are more nurturing, and others are
more protective. Some are closer bonding and other LGD like to be more proactive
when dealing with predators.

A dynamic exists between predators and prey, a predator
needs to stay in close contact with their prey to ensure a constant and predictable
food source. However, not every interaction between predators and prey results
in a predation event. You will see lions drinking side by side with zebra, at a
water pool in Africa, or cheetahs walking past herds of gazelle without the
gazelle being overly concerned about their presence.The prey is wary, and aware of the predators.
Many times, predators will just be passing through, observing, and resting
close to their prey animals.

This got me thinking about the relationship between the
coyotes and our sheep. A few months back I got a call from a sheep rancher in
central Alberta, Canada. He runs a flock of a few hundred ewes and has a mature
LGD who he described as a close bonding type of dog and very sweet to the sheep.
He was concerned about what he was observing. The coyotes would be coming close
to the flock, he (estimated around 150 feet) of the flock, and the dog did not
seem to respond to them. If the coyotes came even closer the dog would get up
and bark at them and chase them a short distance away. According to the owner,
the dog was just not motivated to chase the coyotes, and unfortunately the
coyotes knew this too.

Coyotes are experts in observation, they have all day to
watch and learn what we are doing, they learn our routines, patterns and even
the habits of our stock and guardian dogs. Likely, these coyotes were just
checking out what is going on, testing what they can and cannot do and learning
how much of a deterrent the LGD is. They may not in predatory mode (yet) and
just observing the situation. The coyotes could be habituating both the dog and
the stock to their presence.

Habituation is a subtle process, it can be defined as “a decrease in
responsiveness upon repeated exposure to a stimulus”. The LGD shows a decrease
in response towards the regular presence of the coyote. Without the coyotes
behaving in a predatory manner, the stock and the dog learns to disregard the
presence of the coyotes. The dog may have initially barked at, or chased off
the coyote, however over time the dog got a little tired, and accustomed to the
presence of the coyotes. Gradually, the dog started reacting less and less to
the presence of the coyotes, allowing them closer and closer. Some people may
feel that this dog is responding with appropriate force, as no predation was
occurring.

I have seen similar behaviour with the coyotes on our ranch.
They regularly check out what we are doing, if we move the stock or change our
patterns, the coyotes come and see what has happened and changed. A few years
ago, I noticed a coyote coming around at various times of the day, staying
beyond the fence. Within several days, I found the same coyote laying on a hay
bale in a field closer to the sheep watching what was going on. A few days
later, the same coyote was laying on a bale in the same pasture where the sheep
were grazing. At this point, I had two dogs with the flock on a large pasture
containing both open areas and bush. There was a progression in the coyote's
behaviour and his boldness. I realized that I needed to “up the ante” and
increase the number of LGD working in this pasture to ensure that the coyote
did not become even bolder. Thankfully, I have some "spare" LGD and
could re-group them and increase the number of dogs in this big and difficult
to work pasture.

Two of the guardian dogs lead the flock back to the night corral after a day of grazing.

What is important in these situations is to understand that
patrolling dogs/perimeter type dogs have a function to push predators further
away than just the area directly around the flock. In most instances when we
change pastures or move into a new area, the dogs will forge ahead and do a
sweep through the area. In heavy bush, we will allow a some of the dogs to go
in a few days before the sheep arrive to ensure that the predators move
out.By having dogs who go a bit
further, check out the regular trails and place pressure on the predators at a
distance, ensures that coyotes do not get overly comfortable being around the
sheep and dogs. The patrolling dogs form a greater buffer zone around the
flock.

I have read that LGD who chase predators with determination and over a greater distance,
will deter predators for a longer period, than when the dog only barks and
chases for a short distance. The key is, that the dogs need to work with
conviction and determination so that the predator feels his life may be in
jeopardy when it approaches the flock. These
types of dogs are often higher on the protective side, and more proactive in
their guardian duties.It surprises me
how many ranchers feel that the only good LGD is one who is close and tight
with the sheep. I think both types play an important role in providing
protection for the flock.

We have found the tasks of staying close to the flock or out
patrolling are not static, and are interchangeable between various dogs. We have seen when a cougar is close by, that
many of the older more experienced dogs head out and form a perimeter around
the livestock, when the predator pressure is low the older dogs are quite
content to lounge around the sheep and let the younger dogs patrol. The division
of roles could be because of the age of the dogs, temperament, predator pressure
and even the dynamic within the pack.

I do not like to define close bonding
types or perimeter types as something that is a breed specific trait as I have
seen both traits within one breed. We run one breed of LGD (the Sarplaninac), when
I am asked if our dogs are tight bonding or more perimeter types, I am never
sure what to say, as our dogs do both tasks, they are often sleeping tight in
with the sheep but are certainly quite willing to go out and patrol too. Defining a breed by these two labels
(perimeter or close bonding) is too generalized and static, it negates the
fluidity and adaptability that each dog has within the pack. A perimeter type
is not less effective than a close bonding type, each have an important role in
keeping the flock safe. Too often, a dog that is not bonded to livestock or one
that roams, is described as a “perimeter” type, and that is part of the problem
when we use such generalized labels.

The roles our LGD have are not static, depending on a certain situation they could be described as close bonding types and at other times, very willing to be out patrolling pushing predators further back.

A good livestock guardian dog ensures the livestock are safe, and that predators are happy to avoid the area the flock grazes in.

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About Me

I am passionate about our ranch, animals, the wildlife and nature around us. I feel strongly that we can co-exist with our wild neighbors. It is possible, with management, to live with predators. I enjoy sharing my stories and photo's of our life on this sheep and cattle ranch in Northern Alberta, Canada.